Sporting Diplomacy in Odesa: Ukrainian Servicemen Take on Italian Pacifists

Odesa was the setting for a friendly sporting encounter between Italians and Ukrainians: a football match pitting Ukrainian servicemen against Italian activists from a civic movement committed to non-violent action. It was an unusual example of informal Italian diplomacy – and, at the same time, of civic courage. From August 25 to 28, Odesa was cheerfully invaded by more than 130 activists from MEAN, the European Nonviolent Action Movement. The initiative probably caused a few headaches at the Italian Embassy in Kyiv, which goes to considerable lengths to discourage Italians from travelling to Ukraine on safety grounds. Yet it is worth emphasizing just how much it means to Ukrainians to meet foreigners willing to come and support their country at their own risk.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. And the risk was very real. On two of the three nights of their stay, Russian forces launched kamikaze drones at central Odesa, striking precisely the areas where some members of the Italian group were staying. For people unused to air-raid warnings, those two frightening nights certainly lent the mission an added touch of realism. The purpose of the MEAN mission – the Italian acronym carries a rather unfortunate meaning in English – was to demonstrate civil resistance to war and peaceful support for Ukraine. The activists visited cities battered by Russian attacks and took part in a series of activities and meetings with residents and local institutions. MEAN had previously travelled to Kyiv and Kharkiv as well. Other Topics of Interest ‘Russia Always Calculates Its Strikes to Destroy Lives’: Zelensky Says After Deadly Overnight Attack Zelensky said Russia’s ability to cause mass casualties depends on whether Ukraine has sufficient air defense capabilities. Among the many events organized in Odesa was a five-a-side football tournament held on Aug. 27, the final day of the visit. It was arranged in partnership with the International Association of Defenders of Ukraine and took place at Odesa’s Academy Sports stadium. The Italians were hardly going to pass up an opportunity to play football. Someone observed, with a certain irony, that Italians have not had many chances to compete abroad lately – a reference to the national team’s absence from the World Cup. During their stay in Odesa, the activists therefore hastily assembled two Italian sides with suitably evocative names: “Civilian Corps” and “Nonviolent Action.” Waiting for them on the pitch were teams representing the Ukrainian Navy and Air Defense Forces. The Ukrainian organizers staged the occasion with considerable ceremony. The Ukrainian Navy band welcomed the Italian visitors and played both national anthems. In the square facing the assembled teams, the customary minute’s silence was observed for the fallen. Senior military representatives of the host association then addressed those present, followed by six military chaplains representing different faiths, each of whom offered a prayer before play began. The teams played four matches, including the semi-finals and final. In the end, the superior fitness of the young servicemen – who play regularly – prevailed over that of the Italian teams, which had been assembled for the occasion. The Italians nevertheless compensated for their lack of training with their country’s natural calling for football, scoring several goals that gave their opponents something to think about. At the awards ceremony, the Italian visitors were overwhelmed with gifts, while the Ukrainian winners received artistically crafted trophies made in Italy. Flags were exchanged as mementoes of the occasion: Italian flags for those of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Navy. In a moment of unintended irony, the captains of the Italian pacifist teams were presented with two large bronze cylinders decorated with the Ukrainian trident and commemorative inscriptions. The objects were, in fact, two empty artillery shell casings – a reminder that even an instrument of war can be transformed into a work of art and a symbol of friendship. Col. Andriy Maydachenko, the highest-ranking Ukrainian officer present, gave an oversized bottle of Ukrainian craft wine to the mayor of Casalbuono Attilio Romano, in the province of Salerno. For the occasion, the mayor wore his official tricolor sash, both as a representative of the Italian mayors who support Ukraine and as a footballer who had taken part in the tournament. MEAN president Angelo Moretti also received a bottle of Ukrainian wine from the colonel, together with instructions to drink it on the day Russia’s war on Ukraine ends. Naturally, the footballing mayor and the movement’s president reciprocated with two bottles of Italian wine. The event concluded with a convivial dinner of traditional Uzbek plov rice and a screening of videos provided by the Ukrainian Navy and Air Force. Battered by Russian drone and missile attacks, Odesa continues to welcome courageous supporters of Ukraine with generosity – and still finds room for a sporting event and a shared meal. It is proof that the war has not dehumanized Ukrainians, who have not relinquished their ability to bring a touch of irony into everyday life. Ugo Poletti Ugo Poletti is the Editor-in-Chief of “The Odessa Journal”, online newspaper that was launched during the Covid-19 quarantine to provide news about art, culture, history, business and social life in the maritime capital of Ukraine. He is an Italian entrepreneur, co-founder of the “Rotary Club Odessa Internationa”l, dealing with charity initiatives. During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he wrote a book for the Italian readers: “Nel cuore di Odessa”, that was published in Italy, on June 2022.